Oil-burner.



H.' W. BRENT, JR.

I OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION ,I'ILED MAY 2, 1913.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

Cuwmflu PL'ANouRAPH 60., WASHINGTON. D. c.

HENRY WARING BRENT, JR, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

OIL-BURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 2, 1913.

Serial No. 765,054.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. BRENT, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Burners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to burners of oil stoves and particularly to an adjusting means for the air distributers and spreaders employed with said burners, and has for its object to improve the construction of the air distributers and burners in such manner as to minimize the danger of fire and to prevent the overheating of the associated burner parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide an oil cook stove with means for holding the flame spreader in a fixed elevated position relatively to the burner-wick to thereby preventthe flaring of the flame and the consequent damage which might follow from the flame mounting high in the drum in which the burner is usually placed.

A further object of the invention is to enable the wick to be lighted by a single application of a match at any point on the wick surface and obtain a fine blue flame in the first instance and without requiring that the wick be turned down in order to secure the working blue flame which is clesirable in oil burners of the type herein shown and described.

In operating the burner of the blue flame type it frequently happens that the flame which ascends from the wick, if rather high, overlaps the top of the spreader, and owing to the partial vacuum which is formed between the outer edge of the spreader and the central portion thereof, impinges directly upon the top of the spreader thereby heating the same excessively, and eventually communicates by conduction and radiation an undesirable and dangerous amount of heat to the wick tubes and is a cause of great alarm and possible danger to the operator.

By the construction herein illustrated and described, or the substantial equivalent thereof, I am enabled to prevent the occurrence of the foregoing objectionable results and at the same time maintain the ready removal of the air distributing parts should it be desirable or necessary to do so.

WVith the above and other objects in view my invention consists of the parts and the constructions and arrangements and combinations of parts which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a burner tube and flame spreader with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same showing the spreader partially in elevation. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line l-1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail to be referred to.

In carrying out my invention I may use my improvements in connection with different types of burners and spreader plates, but for illustrative purposes I have shown the same as applied to a well known form of burner wherein A represents the burner tube which is preferably formed with concentric inner and outer walls, joined at the bottom and adapted to inclose between them a circular flat wick, A, the space between the inner and outer walls of the burner tube forming a receiver to which oil is supplied through a connection, a, in the well known manner.

WVithin the burner tube is slidably mounted a spider, B, which closely fits within the burner tube and has an annular depending flange, 10, around its periphery, which serves to accurately guide the spider in its up and down movements. If desired, the inner wall of the burner tube may be supplied with projections, 11, and the flange of the tube may have slots, 5, to admit said projections whereby the tube is guided and the projections form seats to limit the downward movement of the spider. The spider has also a central tube or socket, 12, the lower end of which is provided with a threaded projection, 13, adapted to pass through the horizontal arm, 14, of a brac ct or support, 15, and be secured by a nut, 2, said bracket or support having a vertical arm, 16, slid ably mounted in a guide or loop, 17, on the inner wall of the tube, and said bracket having a portion, 18, bent outwardly under the tube and upwardly over the outside thereof Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

and thence bent outwardly for connection with suitable operating means which I will hereinafter describe.

The spider supports an air distributing device which includes a flame spreader, 19,

which has a central rod, 19', adapted to fit within the upper end of the tube or socket,

12, of the spider, said flame spreader also having, in the type of flame spreader shown for illustrative purposes, a series of wings, 20, adapted to straddle and to interlock with the arms, 20, of the spider. The spreader plate also has an annular series of air outlets, 21, in its side at and near the top, and has its top surface perforated at numerous points to form additional air outlets. This specific spreader is well known both as to its structure and operation and it forms no essential part of the present invention and hence it is not described and shown in greater detail. It will be understood that any other form of spreader-plate capable of being moved vertically relatively to the burner tube and wick may be substituted for the spreader-plate shown, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

0n the outside of the burner is a housing, 22, from which extends upwardly at an angle a tube, 23. This tube forms a long bearing for the wick-operating shaft, 24, on the lower end of which, within the housing, 22, and operating through a slot in the outer wall of the burner, are toothed wheels, 25, which are designed to engage the wick to raise and lower the same in the manner well known in this art, said shaft having at its upper and outer end a hand-wheel, 26, or other deviceby which it may be turned to adjust the wick, and through the latter adjust the spreader. I

My present improvements relate, essentially, to means for locking the perforated flame-spreader, 19, in suitable position elevated above the top of the burner tube and wick, and means for holding the wick fixed in its adjusted position. The means which I have shown for the purpose mentioned include a ratchet wheel, 30, loose on the shaft, 24, which operates the wick, and a lever, 31, said lever being pivotally mounted at 31, between its ends on a block, 32, which is fixedly secured to the tube, 23, which incases the wick-operating shaft. One end of the lever, 31, extends downwardly from the pivot and is pivotally attached to the outer bent end of the spider-supporting bracket, 15.

The upper end of the lever, 31, is extended and curved to form an operating hand piece and the central portion of the lever is in the form of a disk and the lower edge thereof below the pivot, 31, about which the lever turns, is provided with notches, 35, 36, adapted to be engaged by the pawl end, 37, of a suitable spring plate, 38,

'fixedly secured and spaced from the block,

32, to which the lever is pivoted. On its inner surface above the block, 32, the lever has fixed to it an arm, 39, which extends lengthwise above the sleeve, 23, and toward the ratchet wheel, and has its free end provided with a pawl, 40, or is otherwise adapted for engagement with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, whereby when the lever is rocked backward about its pivotal connection, the pawl, 40, will be moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel to thereby hold said wheel against rotation. .The ratchet wheel, 30, is designed to be loosely mounted and to be confined on the shaft between a hub or collar, 30, and a washer, 31", which is fixedly secured to the shaft, 24. In practice, the shaft may be provided with a squared-portion and the washer will have a correspondingly shaped opening to receive the shaft whereby the shaft and washer are united so that they maybe turned in unison by means of the hand piece, 26, which is fixed to the upper end of the shaft.

At one side of the ratchet wheel is a helical spring, 50, one end of which is fixed to said ratchet wheel while the other end is fixed to the stationary hub, 30, and which spring is adapted to be placed under tension when the ratchet wheel is engaged and moved by the washer, as I will hereinafter indicate, said ratchet wheel carrying on the face opposite the spring a pin or lug, 51, which is adapted to engage a radial lug, 52, on the periphery of the washer, 31, the said spring insuring the proper contact of these two lugs, when the shaft is turned, say to the left, to elevate the Wick and the spreader, and being held under tension, when the ratchet wheel is held relatively to the washer, as when the lever is rocked backwardly to elevate or adjust the spreader and throw the pawl, 40, into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, which is the condition after the wick has been first set to a desired position in the burner tube.

When the parts are in the position just described, the shaft, 24, may be turned by its operating hand-piece 26, to lower the wick and extinguish the flame without disturbing the fixed position of the spreader and during this operation the washer, 31", turns with the shaftand its lug moves away from the bin on the now stationary ratchet wheel.

In order that the operation of the foregoing features may be better understood, I will repeat, that the ratchet wheel, 30, is freely-turnable relatively to the shaft, but that it may be held. against rotation by the pawl, 40, engaging the teeth of said wheel. In the initial operation of the device, the pawl is out of engagement with the ratchetwheel and the wick is retracted and the spreader is in its lowered position on top of the tube. In setting the spreader, the hand-wheel, 26, is turned, say to the right, and through the medium of the shaft, 24, and toothed wheels, 25, the wick is raised and its upper edge contacts with the underside of the spreader and is thus positioned for ignitio During this operation the ratchet wheel and the washer, 31", turn together, say to the left, as the spring, 50, reacts on the ratchet wheel to insure the proper engagement of the pin, 51, of said wheel with the lug, 52, on the washer, but as soon as the wick has been raised to the proper position, the lever, 31, is thrown backwardly or toward the operating hand-piece and the pawl, 40, is immediately projected into e11- gagement with the teeth on the ratchet-wheel to thereby hold this wheel against further movement. This looks the ratchet wheel so that there can be no furthermovement of said wheel in a rearward direction, or say to the right, and consequently the wick cannot be elevated to any greater extent, because of the engagement of the lug, 52, and pin, 51, but the shaft with its washer may be turned to the left, as the lug is permitted to move away from the pin, therefore, the wick may be lowered into the burner tube and away from the spreader, as when it is desired to extinguish the flame. The parts remain in this position with the spreader elevated and held in its fixed adjusted position, and accordingly the shaft may be turned as often as desired to elevate the wick, but the position of the top edge of the wick is predetermined by reasonof the fixed position of the pin on the ratchet wheel. In other words, the wick is raised until the lug on the washer, again engages the pin on the ratchet wheel, which pin acts as a stop against any further movement of the washer to theright. It will be understood, therefore, that the ratchet wheel is allowed to re volve on the hub, 30, except when it is engaged by the lever and it is desired to hold the spreader in its adjusted position, As the washer, 31", which carries the lug, 52, has a squared opening to fit a corresponding portion on the hub, 30, it is so fixed to the shaft that it rotates therewith'at all times, it being understood that-when the lever is disengaged from the ratchet wheel, the pin on this wheel is in constant engagement with the lug on the washer, and these parts remain in this position by reason of the reactive power of the spring. After the shaft has been operated to elevate the wick the proper height, the lever is pulled back and through its before-described connections the spreader is now elevated a certain distance above the top of the wick, and the pawl, 40, is moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel to thereby hold the spreader in its adjusted position and also hold the wheel relatively to the shaft and the parts carried thereby. In this condition the shaft may be rotated backwardly as often as desired, to lower the wick and extinguish the flame, and to again raise the wick to its former or adjusted position for relighting. It cannot be raised above this latter position because of the fixed stop formed by the pin on the now stationary and fixedly held ratchet wheel. The pin on the ratchet wheel, therefore, acts as a predetermined guide for fixing the burning position of the wick.

WVhen, because of consumption of the wick, the position of the latter must be changed to insure proper combustion, the lever is operated to release the ratchet wheel from its locked position and lower the spreader. The parts are then operated as before described, to adjust the spreader, and the ratchet wheel is again locked with the spreader elevated and pin, 51, serving as the fixed stop for limiting the upper position of the wick.

Among the advantages which may be ascribed to the foregoing improvements are the following: 1st. It allows easy access to the wick for lighting; a single application of a match at any point on the wick surface will result in its immediate response, supplying a fine blue flame; whereas the stoves for the most part on the market are slow to light and after applying the match they have to be turned down to allow for properly firing the wick and then turned up before securing a working blue flame. 2nd. By the addition of the improvement I obtain a steady even flame for baking purposes, as the flame is a measured one and supplies equal heat to each end of the oven through the two drums usually found in the oil stoves with which this type of burner is employed; whereas there must naturally occur an uneven heat distribution in the oven where reliance must be placed upon turning the wicks by hand, which has a tendency to create an uneven oven and consequently it bakes sooner at one end than the other with the natural consequence. 3rd. The chief and most essential benefit to be derived from the use of the present improvement lies in the safe guard it guarantees against the stove, upon which it may be equipped, from flaring and causing the flame to mount seriously high in the drum, through carelessnose or unfamiliarity of the operator in not seeing that the wick is turned to a safe height. By the absolute control of the wick, as in the present improvement, the stove is rendered positively fire-proof and the danger to persons and property overcome.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube, of a movably mounted spreader disposed thereabove, means for vertically adjusting the spreader relatively to theburner tube, a wick, means for operating the wick, and a stop fixedly held by the spreader adjusting means and interposed in the path of movement of the wick-operating means for predetermining the maximum elevation of the wick relatively to the adjusted spreader.

2. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube, of a movably mounted spreader disposed thereabove, means for vertically adjusting the spreader relatively to the burner tube, a wick, means for operating the wick, and a stop fixedly held by the spreader adjusting means and interposed in the path of movement of the wick-operating means for predetermining the maximum elevation of the wick relatively to the adjusted spreader, while allowing the wick to be freely lowered.

3. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube, of a movably mounted spreader disposed thereabove, means for vertically adjusting the spreader relatively to the burner tube, a wick, means for operating the wick and a part releasably held by the spreader-adjusting means and interposed in the path of movement of the wick-operating means, and forming a predetermined stop for resetting the wick relatively to the spreader.

l. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube, of a movably mounted spreader disposed thereabove, means for vertically adjusting the spreader relatively to the burner tube, a wick, means for operating the wick, and a part interposed in the range of action of the wick-operating means and held in fixed position by the spreaderadjusting means, and forming a stop which predetermines the resetting of a lowered wick.

5. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube and a spreader disposed thereabove, of a wick, means for operating the wick, means for adjusting the spreader, and a part interposed in the range of action of the wick-operating means, and engaged and held under tension by the spreader-operating means, said part having a stop which predetermines the resetting of a lowered wick.

6. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube and a spreader disposed thereabove, of a wick, means for operating the wick, means for adjusting the spreader, and a part interposed in the range of action of the wick-operating means, and engaged and held under tension by the spreader-operating means, said part having a stop which predetermines the resetting of a lowered wick, said part being tripped and released by the spreader-operating means when moving the spreader from its adjusted to a lowered position.

7. The combination with an oil burner having a wick, and a spreader disposed above the wick, of means for raising and lowering the wick, means for elevating the spreader relatively to the wick, a member associated with the wick-projecting means, and movable therewith, and a member carried by the spreader-operating means engageable with said first-named member and holding the same relatively to the wick-operating means, said first-named member having a part which serves as a stop to limit the movement of the wick-operating means in one direction.

8. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube, a spreader disposed above the same, and a wick and means for moving the same relatively to the spreader, of means for adjusting the spreader relatively to the wick after the latter has been moved to its lighting position, and means interposed between the spreader-adjusting means and the wick-operating means for holding the spreader fixed in its adjusted position, and for locking the wick against further upward movement.

9. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube, a spreader disposed above the same, and a wick and means for moving the same relatively to the spreader, of means for adjusting the spreader relatively to the wick after the latter has been moved to its lighting position, means interposed between the spreader-adjusting means and the wickoperating means for holding the spreader fixed in its adjusted position, and for look ing the wick against further upward movement, said last-named means comprising a normally loose ratchet wheel carried by the wick-operating means, a part mounted on and movable with the wick-operating means and disposed adjacent said ratchet wheel, said part having a projection and said ratchet wheel having a part projected into the range of action of said projection and adapted to limit the movement of the same in one direction, and a member carried by the spreader-operating means adapted to be moved into locking engagement with the ratchet wheel for holding said wheel in fixed relation relative to the wickadjusting means. 7

10. In an oil burner, the combination with a burner tube, a spreader disposed above the same, and a wick and means for moving the same relatively to the spreader, of means for adjusting the spreader relatively to the wick after the latter has been moved to its lighting position, means interposed between the spreader-adjusting means and the wickoperating means for holding the spreader fixed in its adjusted position, and for locking the wick against further upward movement, said last-named means comprising a normally loose ratchet wheel carried by the wick-operating means, a part mounted on and movable with the wick-operating means and disposed adjacent said ratchet wheel,

said part having a projection and said ratchet wheel having a part projected into the range of action of said projection and adapted to limit the movement of the same in one direction, a member carried by the spreader-operating means adapted to be moved into locking engagement with the ratchet wheel for holding said wheel in fixed relation relative to the wick-adjusting means, and a spring connected to the ratchet wheel and placed under tension during the operation of the wick-elevating means in one direction, said spring adapted to react to rotate the ratchet wheel in a reverse direction to bring said projections into contact, when the ratchet wheel is released by the spreader-operating means.

11. The combination with an oil burner having a wick, a spreader extending above and across the top thereof and a wick-adjusting means, of a vertically shiftable support within the burner upon which the spreader is carried, and connections between said spreader support and the wick-elevat ing means engageable with both and adapted to hold the spreader in fixed elevated position and to limit the movement of the wickelevating means in one direction.

12. The combination with an oil burner having a wick, a spreader extending above and across the top thereof and Wick-ad justing means, of a vertically guided member in the burner forming a support for the spreader, a lever pivotally mounted on the burner and having one portion connected to saidsupport, means carried by the lever and engageable with the wick-adjusting means to limit the movement of the latter in one direction, and means engaging and locking the lever in its moved position to thereby maintain the spreader in its elevated position.

13. The combination with an oil burner having a wick, a spreader extending above and across the same and a shaft having wick-engaging means, of a spider within the burner and upon which the spreader is mounted, a support for the spider slidably mounted on the burner and extending to the outside thereof, a pivotally mounted lever on the burner and means connecting one portion of the lever to said support, said lever having a plurality of notches, a yieldable detent adapted to engage one or the other of said notches as the lever is rocked in one direction or the other, a ratchet-wheel loose on the wick-operating shaft, and a detent on the lever adapted to be moved into engagement with said ratchet wheel to lock the latter to said shaft, said first-named detent adapted to hold the lever locked in position with the spreader elevated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY WARING BRENT, JR.

Witnesses:

FELIX R. SULLIVAN, A. V. JARVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

